Clock controlled electric circuit



March 1932- w. T. TRENWITH CLOCK CONTROLLED ELECTRIC CIRCUIT lib/@7725? Filed Jan. 29, 1932 Patented Mar. 15, 1932 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILL AM a. 'I'RENWITH, or CHICAGO, ILLINoIs, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF T0 WILLIAM j 18. ENGELHARDT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS CONTROLLED ELECTRIC CIRCUIT Application filed January 29, 1932. Serial No. 589,754.

This invention relates to automatic clock controlled switch mechanism forcontrolling electric circuits, and is in the nature of an improvement on the apparatus shown and described and covered by application Serial No. 91,040, filed February 27, 1926, now Patent No. 1,673,380 issued June12, 1928, and application Serial No. 176,338, filed March 18, 1927. 1

; Generally stated, the object of the inventlon constituting the improvement herein d1sclosed-isto provide a novel and improved construction and arrangement whereby only one switch is necessary for all purposes, including the manual operation of a switch handle to render the automatic switch mechanism inoperative, when it is not desired to have the said mechanism in operative condition, whereby a separate switch for such purpose is not necessary, the one switch that is both automatic and manually controllable beingsuflicient for all purposes of an automatic timecontrolled switch mechanism of this kind.

It is also an object to provide certain details and features of construction and combmations tending to increase the general efliciency and the desirability of an automatic, time-controlled, circuit -controlling switch mechanism of this particular character.

To the foregoing and other useful ends, the invention consists in thematters hereinafter set forthand claimed, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a time-controlled, automatic switch mechanism embodying the principles of the invention constituting the herein disclosed improvement 1n devices of this kind. 7

Fig.2 is a horizontal section on line. 22 in'Fig. 1.

As thus illustrated, the clock mechanism may be of any suitable, known or ap proved type, the clock havingthe time-lndicating dial 1 and hands 2 and 3, and having the usual alarm dial 4 and hand or indicator 5 therefor, which hand 5 can be set atany hour or fraction thereof by rotating the handle 6 of the time-setting shaft 7 in the ordinary way, it being understood that the hand 5 is rigid with said shaft. The shaft 8upon whichthe hands 2 and 3 are mounted is connected by gears 9 and 10 'with the gear 11, which latter is loose on the shaft 7' and provided withacam 12 having a notch 13, as shown. A cam-engaging portion 14 is. rigid with the shaft 7, and disposed directly in front of the cam 12, so that while the latter is rotating its flat face isin direct contact with the projection 14, but when the'notch 13 arrives opposite this projection the gear 11 and its cam 12 will move axially on the shaft 7, toward the front dial 1 of the clock, under the pressure of the spring 15, in a manner that will be readily understood. Therefore, the clock mechanism can be set to cause the actuation of this spring 15, to-

ward the front clock dial, at any hour or fraction thereof, simply through themedium of the ordinary time-setting device of an ordinary clock of the general type shown and described.

The switch mechanism comprises an end wise movable rod 16 mounted to slideendwise of the guides 17 and 18, but normally held against suchendwise movement, under the pressure of its coiledspring 19, when the time-controlled switch mechanism isin condition to automatically close at-some future hour or fraction thereof, by engagement of the end of the rod 16 with the bent end portionfl20 of the spring 15previously mentioned. However, when the cam notch 13 arrives opposite theproj'ection 14, as previously explained, the movement of the spring 15 disengages its end portion 20 from the end of the rod'16, thus permitting the spring 19 to move the rod endwise in the direction indicated by the arrow 21 in Fig. 2 of the drawings. It will be seen that the rod 16 has a tubular, transverse, guide member 22 in which is supported the endwise movable stem or rod 23 of the switch handle 24, said rod having two notches 25 and 26 for engagement with the spring 27, which latter is thereby adapted to yieldingly maintain the handle 11 the rod 2 as shown. The spring jaws or switch contacts 30 are suitably mounted on the guide 18 and are insulated therefrom, so that the circuit in which these contacts 30 are included is normally open and is not closed until the rod 16 is released by the spring 20, thereby causing electrical connection between the contacts 30 through the medium of the metal ring or movable contact 28 of the switch mechanism. Said circuit may include any suitable or desired translating devices, such as the electric lamp 32, which is connected through the conductors 33 and 3a with the said contacts 30, a source of current 35, of any suitable character, being included in said circuit, to energize the lamp 32 or other translating device, when the circuit is closed.

As shown in the drawings, the switch mechanism is in such condition that the movable contact 28 will engage the stationary spring contacts 30 when the rod 16 is released by the spring 20, in the manner explained. However, this can be prevented, and the switch mechanism can be rendered inoperative, when it is desired to preclude the operation of the translating device 32, or preclude the closing of the circuit, by pushing on the handle 24 until the notch engages the spring 27, as this will cause the movable contact 28 to move into the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Under such conditions, the switch mechanism is inoperative to electrically connect the contacts 30 together, when the rod 16 is released by the spring portion 20, for, under such conditions, the movable contact 28 will be out of line with the contacts 30, and will not engage the latter, thus preventing closing of the circuit, the shaft 23 itself being of too small diameter to engage the contacts 30 at such time.

Time-controlled switch mechanisms of this kind are useful, for example, on automobiles, to control the parking lights. The clock mechanism can be set to cause the operation of the switch mechanism, to thereby turn on the parking lights at any predetermined hour or fraction thereof. However, if some time prior to the time set for turning on the lights, the driver of the car should put the motor vehicle in a garage, or in some other place where the turning on of the parking lights would not be necessary, the switch handle 24 can then be pushed into the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Then, of course, when the time arrives for automatically turning on the parking lights, in the manner described, the clock mechanism will automatically cause the actuation of the switch mechanism, but without effect, as ex plained, because of the fact that such switch mechanism has been rendered inoperative by the shifting of the movable contact 28 into the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

In this way, it will be seen, only one set of switch contacts is necessary, and only one switch handle is necessary. is movable laterally, of course, in the slot :36 in the automobile dash or other support 37, toward the left, in order to reset the mechanism after its operation automatically by the clisen a 'en'icnt of the s )rino' nation 20 O D Q from the end of the rod 16, in .a manner that will be readily understood. After the automatic actuation of the mechanism, the gear ll continues to rotate, and the cam slot 13 throws the projec the gear wheel 11 back into the position shown in the drawings. At such time the spring portion 20 will be in engagement with the side of the rod 16, and the spring will be flexed; but then as soon as the handle 2% is moved to the left, the rod 16 will move endwise to the left until the spring portion 20 snaps into the position shown in Fig" 2 of the drawings, thus in effect resetting the mechanism for another future operation. Then, and if before the clock again reaches the time for causing the auton'iatic operation of the switch mechanism, the conditions have changed, making it undesirable for the circuit to be closed by the switch mechanism, the handle 24: can then be pushed into the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, thus rendering the switch mechanism inoperative to close the circuit, in the manner previously explaii'ied.

lVithout disclaiming anything, and without prejudice to any novelty disclosed, what I claim as my invention is:

1. In circuit controlling apparatus, the combination of a support, switch mechanism concealed by said support and having means for controlline the circuit, and clock-centrolled means having a clock dial on the face of said support and having means concealed back of the dial. for controlling said switch mechanism, having in trumentalities on the time-setting device of the clock and axially movable thereon for iuitomatically causing the closing of the switch at any predetermined time, the switch having a spring-actuated handle for the manual control thereof and vhen automatically closed being operative to stay closed until manually opened, said handle projecting through a slot in the face of said support, adjacent to said dial, and having one certain position in said slot when the switch is open the handle being automatically movable into another position in said slot by the closing of the switch, thus always showing the condition of the corn cealed switch, said handle having provisions whereby a third position of the handle renders said switch mechanism inoperative to be closed when automatically caused to be ac tuated by said clock-controlled means, said The handle 2i tion 1d out of its notch, thus forcing o instrumentalities including a cam-controlled movable controlling element engaging with a movable portion of said switch'mechanism, when the switch is manually opened.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, said handle being movable laterally from said certain position to said other position to automatically close the switch, and from said other position back to said certain position to manually open the switch and re-set the mechanism for another automatic operation, and said provisions comprising means whereby said handle is also movable axially into said third position by manual operation thereof.

3. A structure as specified in claim 1, said handle being movable laterally from said certain position to said other position to automatically close the switch, and from said other position back to said certain position to manually open the switch and re-set the mechanism for another automatic operation,-

said provisions comprising means whereby said handle is also movable axially into said third position by manual operation thereof, and saidswitch comprising stationary opposing spring contacts and a movable contact for engagement therewith-said movable con- 7 tact being normally in alignment with said stationary contacts, but being out of alignment therewith when said handle is in said third position.

4. A structure as specified in claim 1, said handle being movable laterally from said certain position to said other position to automatically close the switch, and from said other position back to said certain position to manually open the switch and re-set the mechanism for another automatic operation, said provisions comprising means whereby said handle is also movable axially into said third position by manual operationthereof,

and said switch comprising stationary op-' posing spring contacts and a'movable' contact for engagement therewith, said movable contact being normally in alignment with said stationary contacts, but being'out of alignment therewith when said handle is in said third position, said handle and movable contact being connected axially by an endwise movable rod, and spring means serving automatically to yieldingly retain said handle in either of its two axially adjusted positions.

positionindicating that the switch mechanism has been automatically closed, and the third position indicating that the switch mechanism has been rendered inoperative as stated.

6. In clock-controlled circuit controlling switch mechanism, an automatically and manually controllable switch having a movable handle subject to automatic spring actuation to close the switch, movable manually back to normal position to open the switch and re-set the clock-controlled mechanism for another automatic actuation of the switch, and provisions whereby said handle is also manually movable into position to render the switch inoperative and thereby prevent automatic closing thereof when said automatic actuation of the handle again occurs, said handle having three positions, one position indicating that the switch is in condition to be automatically closed, the second position indicating that the switch mechanism has been automatically closed, and the third position indicating that the switch mechanism has been rendered inoperative as stated, in combination'with spring means serving automatically to yieldingly hold said handle in said first position and also in said third position.

7. In automatic time-controlled switch mechanism, the combination of stationary switch contacts for inclusion in the circuit to be controlled, a movable contact normally in alignment with said stationary contacts, automatically movable into engagement therewith to close the circuit, manually movable out of engagement therewith to open the circuit and re-set the mechanism, and means whereby said movable contact is manually movable out of alignment with said stationary contacts to render the switch inoperative for automatic closing thereof. 7

Specification signed this 26th day of January, 1932.

WILLIAM T. TRENWITH.

5. In clock-controlled circuit controlling a switch mechanism, an automatically and manually controllable switch having a movable handle subject to automatic spring actuation to close the switch, movable manually back to normal position to open the switch and reset the clock-controlled mechanism for another automatic actuation of the switch, and provisions whereby said handle is also manually movable into position to 

